B. Securing Institutional Support for the Arts and Heritage

A major issue raised during the workshop was the need for more recognition of Durban’s artistic and historical value from within the city (and particularly the municipality) itself
It is necessary for eThekwini Municipality and other spheres of government to take a proactive stance in providing both the space and resources for the creative arts to flourish

• Promotion of arts and culture should be reframed and treated as a Local Government function (presently this is not the case), through appropriate policy creation/changes

• eThekwini Municipality should formulate partnerships with relevant education departments; as well as the Department of Arts, Culture and Tourism

Sub-strategy 2: Organizing Events and Activities that Celebrate and Promote Art and Historical Heritage

A common understanding reached during the workshop process was that artistic or cultural activity should not be concentrated in a limited number of physical places, but rather spread throughout the city. This should be done through the organisation of events/initiatives that involve all residents of Durban, regardless of their ethnic background, and which draw attention to the city’s status as a cultural ‘melting pot’

SUGGESTIONS:

• Organizing school days and tours that focus on educating the youth about Durban’s history
• Competitions and quizzes could be organised to promote knowledge of Durban’s artistic and cultural heritage
• Durban should have more public art festivals that activate artistic literacy throughout the city.
• Various ‘Unique Durban’ or ‘Celebrate Durban’ events should be organized as a means of stimulating both foreign and local interest in the city’s artistic/cultural assets

COMMENTARY:

Sub-strategy 1: Creating Places that Celebrate and Promote Art and Historical Heritage

Here the most pressing need is to reclaim public spaces; to preserve them or recreate them where appropriate. Specific suggestions include:

• Durban should create and support an urban arts or cultural precinct
• New education and cultural centres could be established throughout the city. The emphasis here should be on diversity, rather than displaying particular cultures to the neglect of others
• Tourist routes dedicated to arts and history should be created and marketed
• Further steps should be taken to preserve the city’s built heritage
• Durban should be reinvented as a ‘Creative City’ with respect to the creation of its public spaces

COMMENTARY:

A -Education and Information Dissemination

A municipal-led communications/awareness programme could be created to specifically deal with issues of information access and promotion of the arts/history.

• 
  Some form of ‘multicultural council’ could be created – a widely representative body that deals with local cultural issues and can decide on which artistic/historical/cultural areas to promote.
  The programme should recognise and utilize traditional modes of information dissemination (e.g. oral tradition, music), as well as more modern techniques (word poetry, rap etc.).
  Past and present role models or representatives of cultural diversity should be identified and presented as sources of inspiration for the youth.
  A comprehensive guide book for Durban should be developed, aimed at both locals and tourists, which should explain aspects of Durban’s built, human and natural history. If such guides are already available, they should be publicised and translated into different languages.
  

Proposed Strategies

in principle there are two central thrusts to the strategy plan. it was suggested at the first DreamKeeper Meeting, that a third element be considered

a>> Education and Information Dissemination
A strong theme emerging from the workshop sessions was the need to educate individuals and communities regarding the importance and value of the arts, history and cultural heritage. It was recognized that many people in Durban, particularly the youth, fail to show an interest in or an appreciation for their local human and natural history. By cultivating a sense of value for arts and heritage amongst local residents and organisations, Durban could become a national centre for cultural tolerance, arts and history (with benefits for community cohesiveness, as well as local tourism and artistic enterprises).
This strategy is aimed at activating both communal and corporate support for artistic/cultural initiatives.

Aside from the need to have a holistic arts/history strategy in place (with dedicated municipal support), more specific suggestions were made regarding strategies to distribute knowledge within these areas. They generally focused on two strategic threads: firstly, the creation or preservation of physical places that may serve to promote inter-communal cultural and historical awareness, as well as artistic expression; and secondly, the organization of events and activities to do the same.

b>> Securing Institutional Support for the Arts and Heritage

A major issue raised during the workshop was the need for more recognition of Durban’s artistic and historical value from within the city (and particularly the municipality) itself – it was noted that internationally Durban is recognised and respected in these areas, but this interest doesn’t necessarily manifest locally. It is necessary for eThekwini Municipality and other spheres of government to take a proactive stance in providing both the space and resources for the creative arts to flourish

COMMENTARY

Proposed Goal Areas

The public is aware of Durban’s human (i.e. cultural, socio-economic, political and artistic) and natural history.


Urban development reinforces Durban’s local artistic talent and diversity.


A supportive institutional environment exists to promote local arts and historical initiatives.

COMMENTARY

Proposed Goal Statement

“Durban is a creative city that celebrates its rich historical and cultural heritage”

Commentary:

here the team developed a few points.
we felt that the statement felected a sense of only looking at its past aspects. acknowledgement and promotion of current culture/heritage/arts should be stated along with the accpetance and encouragement of the future element.

we felt that the word promotion of arts should be included. the idea behind this was to enforce the point that the city would not only support the arts/culture/heritage, but actively participate in ensuring a sustainable environment for creatives and their form/s of expression.